YAA/CN Yet Another Apfewein/Cider Newbie

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Seawolfe

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Ok, Im willing to jump on the EdWort Apfelwein groupie bandwagon :tank:. But like all homebrewers I feel the need to tweak things to my own tastes and demented ways. I want a cider with a little less alcohol than the original recipe, lots of apple flavor, and I like the points made in this thread about using wheat yeast. I like the idea of more smooth apple flavor coming through.

So today I bought 5 Gallons of pure apple juice with no preservatives (Valu Plus Brand $2.50/ gallon). By next week our HefeWeizen should be done with primary, and I can snag some of the yeast cake (from Safbrew WB-06 dry wheat beer yeast). Will that work?

Is it a good idea to add yeast nutrients to help the yeast along?

My quandary is how much corn sugar/ apple juice concentrate/ anything to add so that I can drink more than a pint or two without falling asleep or reminding everyone how much I love them :eek:

EdWorts original recipe looks like about 9.1% ABV, and I think I want something around 7-7.5% So maybe a lb of corn sugar? Or would a can of apple concentrate add more apple goodness? I figure the WB-06 will not have the attenuation of the Montrachet - so maybe I don't need to worry about the ABV and just shoot for an OG of 1.066 with the idea that I wont get near an FG of 0.998?
 
I'd use nutrient in any cider that uses weizen yeast. Mine stalled hard without it and resumed nicely when I added nutrient.

I am currently have a no-sugar cider with montrachet yeast in my primary. I don't need/want the added ABV.

My next batch will likely be no-sugar, nutrient, and the 3068. I bought the juice earlier in the month when kroger had that sale.
 
If your SG is 1.066 than you will have somewhere between 8.2 and 9.1 ABV depending on where it stops. and SG of 1.52 will get you between 7.07 if you stop at 1.000 to 8.42 if you ferment to 0.990. I would start with an SG of between 1.05 and 1.052 and hope you finish at or below 0.996.
 
Thanks! Nutrients - check.

And good point - Ill get gravity from the juice and go from there. From what I can see, the Safbrew WB-06 has an attenuation of about 76% for beers, do you think can I expect the same in cider?
 
Thanks! Nutrients - check.

And good point - Ill get gravity from the juice and go from there. From what I can see, the Safbrew WB-06 has an attenuation of about 76% for beers, do you think can I expect the same in cider?

almost any yeast you use will ferment plain juice down to at least 0.999 if not further, all the sugars in apple juice are simple ones, which will all be converted by the yeast.
 
Ah ok - thus the need for a lower OG.

I really appreciate all the help - all my previous ciders have been single gallons that Ive just sloshed random yeasts into and bottled. But I want this one to be worthy of the keg that I have to talk hubby out of.
 
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